Hilary Duff breezes into her Cosmo cover shoot at a New York City photo studio and cheerily gives out hugs and kisses to everyone on set. You’d never know the girl hasn’t been getting much sleep lately until she makes a desperate request: “A skim latte with an extra shot of espresso — please!”

And while some young celebs require an energy boost because they’ve been hanging at nightclubs until the wee hours, Hilary’s just seeking to fuel her ambitious work agenda. It’s a schedule that entails recording new music, working on two films, raising money for kids through the Blessings in a Backpack organization, and going on a world tour. “This has been a big cleansing year for me,” the Texas native declares. “I learned a ton about myself, and I became really independent. I feel like I grew up a lot.”

And we’re not just talking emotional maturity here — at 20, with long honey-colored locks, a smokin’ bod, and killer confidence, Hilary’s looking every bit the hot Hollywood starlet. Dressed in white skinny jeans, 4-inch heels, and a sexy off-the-shoulder black top, it’s hard to believe she’s the same girl who not long ago starred in such family-friendly flicks as Cheaper by the Dozen and 2004’s A Cinderella Story.

Appearance aside, she’s making more sophisticated professional choices too. She recently finished filming War, Inc., a political satire, alongside John Cusack, and she’s now working on a drama with veteran actress Ellen Burstyn called Greta, which deals with suicide. Furthermore, her latest album, Dignity — which she’s re-releasing early this year with two new tracks — references the difficult subject of her parents’ recent divorce…

Source

Miss Duff opens up for the January 2008 issue of Cosmopolitan.

On marriage: “I’m definitely not ready to get married,” Duff, 20. “I think a reason that people in this business get married young is that they feel like everything comes to them sooner in life. It’s normal to be like, ‘Okay, what’s next?’ “

Having famously dated Good Charlotte musician Madden for 18 months – before they broke up in November 2006 – Duff is currently dating NHL player Mike Comrie.

On weight & body image: “You lose some happiness when that’s all you think about,” Duff says. “There definitely was a time, about a year and a half ago, when I was pretty obsessed with my body and my weight, but I’m better not stressing about my body all the time.”  She adds, “It’s not attractive when girls get super-skinny. Guys don’t like it. Girls don’t like you as much.”Next year, H. Duff will be tackling her first serious movie role in “War, Inc.”, co-starring John Cusack.  This year she spent promoting her latest CD, Dignity, which hit stores in April.

Interesting pairing for a serious movie … but I love me some John Cusack, so I’m in.  Swoon.

Click here for the trailer to “War, Inc.”!

Hilary Duff has been dating hockey player, Mike Comrie for awhile now and her close pal and sister, Haylie Duff approves of the guy.

“I think he’s great and so special,” said big sister Haylie Duff, 22, to People at the Guess/Conde Nast Movies Rock party in L.A. on November 29.

“I love him. He’s a really great guy.”

“He’s good to her,” Haylie Duff said. “That’s all I care about.”

I am actually happy for Hilary. I felt bad for her when her ex went straight to Nicole Richie!!

Celebrity Babylon

Sexy?  Yay? Nay?

A source tells Us Weekly that Nicole Richie, 26, teases Joel Madden, 28, about his two-and-a-half-year relationship with singer-actress Hilary Duff, 20.

“She will ask if he’s going to watch Lizzie McGuire DVDs or listen to Hilary’s albums,” says the source. “Joel tells her she’s being out of line.”

For more details on the latest celebrity feuds, check out the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands this week.

Source